2018 PRS McCarty 594 Singlecut with 10-Top in McCarty Sunburst

This guitar plays like a dream and the sustain is amazing. Even acoustically without plugging in. Intonation, string action and set up was dialed in out of the box. PRS quality and some nice evaluation from Sweetwater.

Like all PRS guitars I have played the fret work is as good as it can get. Unlike some vintage guitars, tuning stability is excellent. Chords and double stops sound lush all over the fingerboard and the locking tuners allow string bends with no tuning issues.

PRS makes some of the most beautiful and playable guitars these days. For a major guitar maker, Paul Reed Smith is still innovating and doing his best to improve on traditional and unique designs that you would think it was a small boutique brand. This model is inspired by Ted McCarty, a friend, mentor and consultant to Paul Reed Smith for several years.

Ted McCarty was a pioneer of the electric guitar and the musical instrument industry. He served as vice president of Gibson in 1949 and later as president from 1950-1966. McCarty was responsible for a number of patents and innovations including the humbucking pickup, Tun-o-matic bridge, Gibson Explorer, Flying V, SG, Firebird and the Les Paul as well as many other models. Ted also owned the Bigsby company before selling it to Gretsch. Ted McCarty passed away in 2001.

When Paul Reed Smith was researching early electric guitar models in the 1980’s, and he continued to notice Ted McCarty’s name among patents. He was urged by a friend to reach out to McCarty and interview him. Paul visited Ted and formed a wonderful relationship with him. Consequently, Ted McCarty became a mentor plus dear friend to Paul and the PRS company in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Many innovations and improvements in the guitar world owes thanks to Ted McCarty. In 1994 a new PRS guitar model was introduced – the McCarty. This guitar became Paul’s tribute to Ted and a tangible way to pay homage to Ted’s legacy of innovation. This was the first guitar named after Ted and more PRS McCarty models followed.

The PRS McCarty 594 was first released as a double cut with some vintage attributes from old Gibson designs that Ted McCarty was involved with in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The goal for PRS with the McCarty 594 was to create a vintage-sounding instrument that offered the reliability and playability that comes from modern-day manufacturing. With the out-of-reach price of vintage instruments that are many times harder to play…. Sounds like a great idea.

New PRS designed “58/15 LT” humbucker pickups. LT meaning low turns, deliver a warmer lower-output tone. Closer to vintage P.A.F. (Patent Applied For) than other pickups PRS offers. A more traditional layout for the two volume and two tone controls with a push/pull coil split for more tonal options. A new Pattern Vintage neck carve that is slightly thicker front to back and features an asymmetrical carve with a little less meat on the treble side, and a little more on the bass side of the neck was designed for improved playability.

PRS McCarty 594 Singlecut version was developed in PRS Private Stock department before becoming a regular core model. The PRS McCarty Singlecut 594 blends vintage elements and modern appointments in a classic single-cut solidbody. If you grew up on Gibson Les Paul’s and love modern guitar playability, this model is worth looking at. Especially, with PRS renown quality control. This guitar ain’t cheap, but it is worth every penny and then some.

It offers vintage sounding humbuckers and single-coil tones. The guitar’s asymmetrical Pattern Vintage neck carve, with its 24.594″ scale length, make it a great playing instrument. The intonation is spot-on, thanks to an updated bridge and Tweaked Phase III locking tuners. A bound rosewood fingerboard with eye-catching bird inlays tops off the PRS McCarty Singlecut 594 solidbody electric guitar. This guitar is very resonant due to the PRS quality build and amazing wood and materials used.

Features:

  • Body: Solidbody McCarty 594 Singlecut
  • Body Material: Mahogany
  • Top Material: Figured Maple, 10-Top
  • Body Finish: V12
  • Color: McCarty Sunburst
  • Neck Material: Mahogany
  • Neck Shape: Asymmetrical Pattern Vintage
  • Fingerboard Material: East Indian Rosewood, bound
  • Fingerboard Inlay: “Old School” Birds
  • Radius: 10”
  • Number of Frets: 22
  • Scale Length: 24.594″
  • Nut Width: 1.6875″
  • Nut Material: Bone
  • Bridge/Tailpiece: PRS 2-Piece Stoptail
  • Tuners: Tweaked Phase III Locking
  • Hardware: Nickel
  • Pickups: 58/15 LT (Low Turn) pickups deliver vintage humbucking and single-coil tones with coil tap
  • Controls: 2 x volume, 2 x tone (push/pull coil-tap), 3-way toggle pickup switch
  • Case Included: Hardshell case
  • Weighs 8-lbs 5-ozs

Many people will want to make a direct comparison to a Gibson Les Paul. I do not think PRS is trying to build a Les Paul with the McCarty series of guitars. The SC 594 surely moves a bit closer into Gibson Les Paul territory than the previous McCarty models. Likely more of a “tipping the hat” to those great vintage iconic guitars that Ted McCarty had a lot to do with when he was at Gibson. PRS pays tribute to those iconic guitars, but is not in anyway a clone or meant to be. There are many other boutique builders that actually build Les Paul clones.

I have owned (and still own) a few Gibson Les Pauls which were always one of my favorite guitars and this PRS makes a great alternate for its build quality and modern features. Please understand, if its a Gibson Les Paul that you want, BUY one! The PRS is worth a look if you have a more open mind, like the playability of a more modern guitar design or just love PRS guitars. The PRS SC 594 is a wonderful, well made instrument. The build quality is exceptional for a production guitar. The neck binding is smooth, the guitar build details are amazing. The added coil split adds some more tone variations.

Comparing the PRS McCarty SC 594 to my 2015 PRS McCarty SC 245 we see a few differences that some will say are refinements. I will try to point them out.

PRS SC 594 left and PRS SC 245 on right

Weight
Weight is quite close. PRS McCarty SC 594 weights 8-lbs 5-ozs with my PRS McCarty SC 245 weighs 7-lbs 9.5-ozs comparing only these two guitars is not really that telling, but I guess we can say these guitar models weight are pretty close. My 1997 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Catalina weighs in at 9-lbs. I have played some Les Pauls that tip the scale at 10-lbs. So the PRS McCarty guitars are a bit lighter and are solid guitars, not chambered.

Pickups
Both PRS McCarty models have PRS 58/15 which are well regarded. But the SC 594 version is “LT” meaning low turn for a more vintage sounding lower output pickup. Closer to a Gibson P.A.F. pickup. Both pickup version sound great. The SC 594 neck and bridge pickup have the same output, where most PRS have a bit higher output pickup in the bridge position.

Control Layout
The PRS McCarty SC 594 has a more traditional layout (more like vintage or modern Gibson guitar) than the PRS McCarty SC 245. The SC 594 has push-pull on the tone controls for a coil split for both humbuckers. Looking at the back of the guitar the access panel for the electronics is smaller on the SC 594 due to the different control layout.

PRS SC 594 left and PRS SC 245 on right

Body
Body dimensions and shape are the same. Both are Mahogany with Maple tops. The SC 594 does have a bit of a nicer top as it has the 10-top option and the SC 245, although a great looking top, does not. Both have tummy cuts for comfort. Top carve is the same. Comparing to my Gibson Les Paul the top curve is different and the Les Paul body is slightly thicker… As stated the PRS SC 594 is not a Les Paul clone.

PRS “10-top” must have clearly defined figure across its entire top with no “dead” spots. A guitar designated as a 10-Top will usually have a small “10” written on the back of the headstock in the upper right corner.

Neck
The SC 594 has what PRS calls an Asymmetrical Pattern Vintage. The SC 245 has a PRS Pattern neck profile. The SC 594 neck is a bit meatier, but not a baseball bat by any means. Closer to my Gibson Les Paul if I had to compare. Both guitars have Mahogany necks and East Indian Rosewood bound fingerboards. The nut on the SC 594 is bone whereas the nut on the SC 245 is Tusq.

According to PRS:
The Pattern Vintage neck has the same width measurements as PRS Pattern neck but is slightly thicker front to back and features an asymmetrical carve with a little less meat on the bass side of the neck toward the nut end and a little less meat on the treble side of the neck from the twelfth fret to the heel.

Bird Inlays
Both guitars have PRS Bird inlays. They differ slightly. Researching I found out the birds have names, who knew?

The names of the birds inlayed on the fretboard starting from the nut:
Peregrine falcon
Marsh hawk
Ruby throated hummingbird
Common tern
Coopers hawk
Kite
Sparrow landing
Storm petrel
Hawk landing
Screech owl on a branch (24-fret models only)

Tuners
The tuners on the SC 594 are newer PRS Tweaked Phase III Locking. They have gold buttons, that stays in line with the PRS gold/chrome on most of the hardware for both these guitars. The SC 245 has PRS Phase III Locking tuners. Cosmetically there are a few differences. Both seem to be great locking tuners.

PRS SC 594 left and PRS SC 245 on right

Finish
The SC 594 is said to have a V12 finish and the SC 245 was listed as Urethane. Looking at both guitars it appears the SC 245 may be a slightly more glossy looking, but quite close. These finishes may actually be the same as PRS lists the V12 finish being used since 2010 and the midpoint between nitro and acrylic with a classic feel all its own. V12 is extremely thin to allow the guitar to resonate, but it is still incredibly durable with no risk of reacting to leather or guitar stands in a negative way. Both are said to be thin finishes to allow the instrument to resonant… And resonant they do!

The SC 594 is listed as a McCarty Burst and the SC 245 is listed as a Vintage Sunburst. Likely the same as they look quite similar. Has always been one of my favorite finishes and why I picked for this finish for both these guitars when I purchased them as brand new.

Hardware/Bridge
The PRS Bridge and Stop Tail piece for both guitars are the same as well as the rest of the hardware and control knobs. Strap buttons are the standard PRS, but the SC 594 are gold and the SC 245 are chrome.

Scale
Paul Reed Smith raised some eyebrows when he spoke about scale length when the double cut PRS McCarty 594 was first introduced in 2016. Gibson has been advertising the Les Paul scale length as 24.75 for many years. Paul pointed out that from his measurements of many vintage Gibson guitars that this advertised scale length is incorrect. This is due likely to Gibson using a different method of measuring and advertising an “abbreviation” of the actual scale length of their guitars. In fact, the Gibson scale length has actually changed a bit over the years due to newer production methods and machines. Can get all the details in my article on Scale Length and Why It Matters.

When properly measured the scale length of the PRS 594 is 24.594 (nut to 12th fret times by 2) and where the name for this model comes from. The SC 245 scale length is a smidgen shorter at 24.5. Making both PRS guitars a smidgen shorter than my Gibson Les Paul I measured at 24.625. Interesting maybe to some people, but these are very small differences and may likely be unimportant to most players. Scale length for a Fender Telecaster or Stratocaster is 25.5-inch which is quite a bit longer and one big reason why Fender guitars sound the way they do.

PRS included hard case is the same for both guitars.

PRS and Gibson Singlecut Guitars

2018 PRS SC594, 2015 PRS SC245, 1997 Gibson Les Paul Catalina, 1974 Gibson Les Paul Special